Philippians 3:4b-14

Pentecost + 16 - Year A

Philippians 3:4b-14

We are always defining the right way to live in terms of our own experiences. Stephen Colbert’s persona trusts his feelings, not facts. No matter how confident we are about our having found the one true way to live, a bit of mercy for what others have found is in order.

While it is important to ground our actions in what we trust, we simply can’t trust our trust to not fool us into foolish action. Claim is not proof.

So act on what you know, knowing that you don’t yet know enough. Willing to leave what lies behind; straining forward; we press on. This can be for some a preferred future or imitation of a living G*D or just stubborn DNA, but we press on. This is not some Easy Button pressing on, but a pressing on that calls for our best which is better than we’ve been able to do up until now. Pressing on will come from our emotional life as well as our intellectual life, employing our individual gifts and striving for a common good.

Even sure of our present definitions of reality, we press on.
 

Psalm 19

Pentecost + 16 - Year A

Psalm 19

A voice unheard goes through the universe. How wonderful and frustrating. The mystery of this is overwhelming and the lack of clarity a stumbling block of the first water.

As one with not so hidden errors, I still yearn for my meandering meditations to be reflective of that unheard voice. I still desire that my words would be in sync with the growth going on in moving from a glimpse of glory to more glory than glory can hold and it collapses from an external category into regular day-to-day life.

Eugene Peterson talks about “life-maps of G*D” and we all need to spend some time in imitating this by seeing what our current life-map looks like and where dragons are lurking on a raw edge beckoning us into new adventure. There are many models of life-maps from the rigid fundamentalistic to the overly open-ended idealistic. May we be blessed with greater clarity.

If you are interested in a map that does not pretend to be the territory it maps, you might try integral mapping. There are variations on this and you might also consider working with my friend Tom at bodymindspiritworks.com.

The Psalmist suggests you can find a larger map than you have been working from. Blessings on moving on.
 

Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20

Pentecost + 16 - Year A

Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20

G*D is at a distance. The people are explicitly warned not to come up the mountain to G*D. G*D’s “son”, Moses, goes to the people with commands.

How’d he do? Folks listen? Implement? Or ignore (a polite throwing out)? Could they hear future religious leaders coming after them?

How long does control by fear last? One generation? Two? Eventually there is a springtime of the soul and controlling “sin” by fear and awe doesn’t have a good track-record. Inquisitions eventually ebb.

Now with context out of the way. These are specifics in the long tradition of loving G*D and Neighbor. There might well be other specifics (and there are many more in the following chapters). What specifics might we use today? In recent days might we want to make some amendments:

“Honor your fathers and mothers, fathers and fathers, mothers and mothers”
“No murder: individual, legal, military”
“No adultery: physical, emotional, mental”
“No stealing: personal or corporate”
“No lies: by word, silence, or tweet”
“No coveting: enough”.

 

Matthew 21:33-46

Pentecost + 16 - Year A

Matthew 21:33-46

Parable upon parable reflects the facets of what it means to do business with one another in a framework of community. Economic models are often used in parables to break open our captivity by whatever economic model is currently idolatrized.

Here in Wisconsin we are sensitive to the landowner being too easily identified with the current reigning governance by governmental privatizers for the gain of corporate profit that reaps rewards without concomitant responsibility for sustainability. A union of “slaves” is unacceptable to entitled plutocrats.

This week’s hardened landowner (religious leaders), expecting their due reward for investments made (purity kept), might be seen as the stone upon which people have broken themselves for generation upon generation - the unearned profit, the individualized profit, the prideful profit not recognizing it is a product of exploitation of others rather than the strength of one pulling on their own bootstraps while never rising.

And so an alternative reading of this raises the question of what is rejected. Remember the judgment or interpretation rendered by chief religious leaders was “Death to Unions”. Might this attitude be what is rejected.

An inequitable economic system and religious leaders might be seen as the stones rejected by last week’s generous landowner.

Jesus was speaking to the religious leaders who were stonily crushing those outside their inner leadership. Those who live by the stone will die by the stone. Let those with ears, hear. Awareness of this brokenness just might be a worthy cornerstone to build differently. A non-physical cornerstone may be the most helpful.

Rejection of profit and slaves as a cornerstone leads to a new framework of being in an endeavor together - Unions might be a renewed cornerstone in today’s attempt to use globalization to increase the number of “slaves” available to landowners.

ahhhh

Pentecost + 15 - Year A

entering temple
unwelcome
questioning
authorityless
controversial
suspicious
unstable

entering camp
thirsty
quarrelsome
testing
fearful
threatful
demanding

entering today
entering tomorrow
entering freedom
entering life
entering vocation
entering solidarity
entering identity

carrying new-creation energy
heart-opening compassion
head-opening sympathy
grounded honesty
true simplicity
careful hope
story ready
quick joy

carrying
sea-split water
into deserts
of our own making
generating
new water
in old lives
 

Philippians 2:1-13

Pentecost + 15 - Year A

Philippians 2:1-13

A fine goal, being of one mind. A bit difficult to pull off when one or more of the minds is a religious bully unable to hold more than their own mind or allow other minds their wisdom and experience.

The Christian tradition seems to claim that all those Jesus dealt with were bullies of one sort or another, yes, even the disciples periodically fell back into that predisposition.

Without a single mindedness among us, we are left with working out salvation with fear and trembling, with redoubled energy (for self and others). Actually, single-mindedness is not very stable if we are living in an entropic world with a living G*D. I expect that even in that high holy time of unity, there is still a wholeness to be worked on - particularly if I am expected to come to it in the same way you are.

So, assured enough to be humble or cowed into submission, there are no guarantees. Obedience is not sufficient on its own to claim salvation. We seem to be in it together and so my interest is in your coming as close to wholeness as you can and my doing the same. Though probably not identical in size or ripeness, each whole fruit is important in an expansive vineyard.
 

Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16

Pentecost + 15 - Year A

Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16

What experiences are equivalent touchstones in your life? As you tick off moments of life shifting, what stands out? If you were to pick 5 to carry on one hand, they would be?

That’s pretty easy. How about just 4 or 3? For extra credit, can you cut it to 2 key experiences that would reflect your journey?

Now the tough one - 1.

I expect it will have something to do with what you have done, not believed. Yes, your actions are influenced by our thoughts. They can even hem in what we are willing to do. But, bottom line, it is the doing that best describes what we mean by the space we take up and the energy we expend over time. Blessings on redeeming this trinity.
 

Exodus 17:1-7

Pentecost + 15 - Year A

Exodus 17:1-7

Quarrels among a "religous" people are not new. Almost anything can set them off. It may be the lack of a survival resources, the color of a bathroom wall, a word of encouragement or correction, a business deal gone sour, a political perspective, a question as basic as "is G*D with us or not?", an undigested piece of cheese.

And so we escalate every smaller grievance to an ultimate one. After all, G*D is involved and it is mandatory to protect a G*D we have bet will protect us when push comes to shove or creeks rise.

What's the out? Complain to G*D about the folks giving you a hard time? Well, that doesn't work out so well [see also Numbers 20:1-12 and Deuteronomy 32:48-52]. Perhaps there is only proceeding as best one can and agreeing to not get the credit earned or the followers due.
 

Matthew 21:23-32

Pentecost + 15 - Year A

Matthew 21:23-32

During the recent church trial of Rev. Amy Delong (LoveOnTrial.org), the question came, “Are you now or have you ever been a “self-avowed practicing homosexual?” Amy wisely replied, “First let me ask you a question, do you ever ask that question of heterosexuals . . . that they are practicing?”

Church counsel had no response. “If we say yes, everyone knows that we don’t ask that question”: “If we say no, how can we ask it here without revealing our prejudice?”

And so Amy went on to clearly identify herself as a lesbian in a loving, committed relationship with her partner. Loving both her partner and her church, she calmly replied, “I won’t answer a question put to me with the intention of harming me.”

So, is the ministry of further revealing the expansive and expanding love of G*D done by a son who lives by the rules on the outside or by a daughter who lives by grace on the inside?

Forced choices by Jesus are no better than forced choices by chief priests of the Church un-Doctrinal Committee. Both have their limits; both reveal intentions.

What trick question have you been responding to when all that was needed was a twist and return question? Perhaps the bind you are currently facing isn’t really a bind. You are not between a rock and a hard place, but between accepted fantasy and walking free.
 

Philippians 1:21-30

Pentecost + 14 - Year A

Philippians 1:21-30

One of the reasons we get caught in competition regarding a job or professional endeavor is that we participate not just for any fruitful results, but it becomes a measure of our value (longer workers deserve more than Johnny-come-latelies) or a validation of our importance (released folks versus those still captured).

Here we are encouraged to live life in a worthy manner. Every faith group would attribute worthiness to its particular value system. Here it is Christ, there it is Buddha, Mohammed, Jim Jones, No Taxes At All, etc.

Once we get past the particular we can experience generosity and release without claiming them as uniquely ours. Simply bringing forth fruitful work is enough. Whatever your religious focus, may it end in worthy living. This is a central point for inter-faith work.
 

Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45

Pentecost + 14 - Year A

Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45

Thank goodness for selective memory. Here we have a memory of the end results of some very difficult times. The psalm would have to be four times longer were the circumstances leading to such positive outcomes to be reported.

As you look back on previous haunting experiences, is your focus on the difficult moments or the final way through?

A psalm could be constructed to only cry out for a difficulty faced. It would start a new category of a complaint psalm. Even laments have a turn or action involved that begins to redeem a time of difficulty. A question is whether complaint only would be valuable. In like manner, we might ask whether a psalm of rejoicing only has value.

As with most of life it is the moments of transition that are key. Hopefully you can learn from past transitions and can see the beginning of a next transition even as the difficulty of the moment continues.

I doubt that we will get around selective memory and intentional revision, but it is helpful, from time to time, to look at what we are remembering and how that shapes where we head. This past week gave opportunity to do that regarding a national event - September 11, 2001 - that we cover-up with the short-hand 9/11 used to remember the difficulty without ever having to find the better way through.

This might be a good time to do another timeline of how long you think you have been working this time. What might a transition be that would get you out of a complaint oriented approach to working or hungering?
 

Exodus 16:2-15

Pentecost + 14 - Year A

Exodus 16:2-15

The Israelites saw themselves as “first hired”. Hadn’t they miraculously escaped from the powerful Pharaoh? Why then are they having such a difficult time? Isn’t there a perk for their exalted position?

Turns out there is only one perk - recognizing there is no perk, only common care for the whole body. Paying attention to the sufficiency available is a leg up on the usual survival issues of the moment.

Of course we could always attribute manna to the loudness of the complainant rather than the generosity of respondant. That approach usually peters out fairly quickly and we are left with another learning experience regarding abundance and assurance, two key issues for us to get our minds and hearts around.
 

Matthew 20:1-16

Pentecost + 14 - Year A

Matthew 20:1-16

Since the future is not directly accessible we need to approach it obliquely, say through a parable.

Since we can note tangent points between a preferred future and a temporary present, a parable may be applicable to today without the fullness of the future being present.

What do you say to a country who has been devaluing all labor to the point of laborers being pitted against one another until each looking is for their own benefit, not that of all labor?

Well, one thing to be said is that a living wage is due everyone.

A second note would be that the generosity of the universe is available to be chosen in favor of. To choose maximal profit for a small group who got theirs early, is to miss out on being able to share the joy of being G*D with others.

Thirdly, might we go back to the creation stories and note the labor Adam and Eve were given, farming - garden care, vineyard care. Produce for the common good does not come easily. Imagine a farmer’s market to come which would have the work of each, from researcher to tomato grower to refuse hauler to money maker to forest manager to healer to fish catcher bring their gifts together and need is shared with need (not on the basis of some arbitrary value for each, but simply as a way to meet a need, knowing mine, large and small, will, in turn, be met).
 

Romans 13:8-14

Pentecost + 12 - Year A

Romans 13:8-14

Theory: Love does no wrong to a neighbor.

Reality: Members of the church sin against one another.

What's a Christ to do?

Better yet, what are you going to do? Paul suggests living honorably.

How's the day gone so far? Been honorable, regardless?

How's the rest of the day look? Is honorable action still an option?

Just as being untruthful means more work for us as we try to keep all the little pieces of untruth in order, not being honorable ultimately means more work. May you lay the burden of not being honorable down.

Perhaps working on a common definition of honor would get us out of some of our usual binds. Honor is not the whole response needed to life's perplexing options, but it is a good start. Too much honor gets into honor killings, but honor is still a good start. You might want to make up a little card and look at it hourly for the next week. One version of the card might read, "Being honorable is the easy way, is my way."